(A) (1) It shall be the duty of the City Health Officer to issue burial permits for deaths occurring within the city; provided, that a complete death certificate has been filed in his or her office by the attending physician and that there is no evidence of death by violence or criminal practice.
(2) If the death occurred without medical attendance or the physician last in attendance fails to or refuses to sign the death certificate, the City Health Officer shall investigate and certify as to the cause of death before issuing a permit for burial, cremation, or other disposition of the body; if the circumstances suggest that the death or stillbirth was caused by other than natural causes, the Health Officer shall refer the case to the coroner for investigation and certification.
(B) The City Health Officer shall have the power to appoint special deputies for the issuance of burial permits. These deputies shall serve without any expense to the city.
(Prior Code, § 91.019)